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Hart hopeful over Distin

Portsmouth boss Paul Hart is hopeful defender Sylvain Distin will sign a new deal with the club.

Last Updated: 25/07/09 8:30pm

Portsmouth boss Paul Hart is hopeful experienced defender Sylvain Distin will sign a new deal with the club.

The French stopper, who has made over 90 appearances for Pompey since his arrival from Manchester City two years ago, has just a year left on his contract and the South Coast club recently rejected a bid for the player.

Aston Villa have been linked with the centre-half but Hart is keen to keep the player, telling Sky Sports News that he is hoping Distin will sign a new contract soon.

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"I think we are in talks with him and he is a great player, a great lad, a great leader so we don't want him to go anywhere," said Hart, who added he expected new faces into the club soon, but ruled out any big money signings.

Myth

"There won't be any big money - I have been trying to make that clear for the last two weeks, there won't be that big money, it's a myth," he added.

"Only time will tell if such money will be spent in the January transfer window.

"But certainly not in this window."

Hart agreed the squad needed reinforcing before the start of the season, saying: "Yeah, but we've always realised that - we've got our targets and we have been very patient and we are pushing fowards, so in the next two weeks or so there will be new faces I'm sure."

The Pompey boss admitted that Hajduk Split striker Nikola Kalinic is one player they have looked at, but said he didn't know anything about speculation surrounding Peter Crouch leaving the club.